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    should not choose an overpowering tree; the tree should be one of good shape, with somethinginteresting about its bark, leaves, flowers or fruit. While the poplar is a rapid grower, it sheds itsleaves early and so is left standing, bare and ugly, before the fall is old. Mind you, there areplaces where a row or double row of Lombardy poplars is very effective. But I think you'll agreewith me that one lone poplar is not. The catalpa is quite lovely by itself. Its leaves are broad, itsflowers attractive, the seed pods which cling to the tree until away into the winter, add a bit ofpicture squeness. The bright berries of the ash, the brilliant foliage of the sugar maple, theblossoms of the tulip tree, the bark of the white birch, and the leaves of the copper beech all theseare beauty points to consider.

    Place makes a difference in the selection of a tree. Suppose the lower portion of the grounds is abit low and moist, then the spot is ideal for a willow. Don't group trees together which lookawkward. A long-looking poplar does not go with a nice rather rounded little tulip tree. A juniper,so neat and prim, would look silly beside a spreading chestnut. One must keep proportion andsuitability in mind.

    I'd never advise the planting of a group of evergreens close to a house, and in the front yard. The

    effect is very gloomy indeed. Houses thus surrounded are overcapped by such trees and are notonly gloomy to live in, but truly unhealthful. The chief requisite inside a house is sunlight andplenty of it.

    As trees are chosen because of certain good points, so shrubs should be. In a clump I shouldwish some which bloomed early, some which bloomed late, some for the beauty of their fallfoliage, some for the colour of their bark and others for the fruit. Some spireas and the forsythiabloom early. The red bark of the dogwood makes a bit of colour all winter, and the red berries ofthe barberry cling to the shrub well into the winter.

    Certain shrubs are good to use for hedge purposes. A hedge is rather prettier usually than afence. The Californian privet is excellent for this purpose. Osage orange, Japan barberry,buckthorn, Japan quince, and Van Houtte's spirea are other shrubs which make good hedges.

    I forgot to say that in tree and shrub selection it is usually better to choose those of the localityone lives in. Unusual and foreign plants do less well, and often harmonize but poorly with theirnew setting.

    Landscape gardening may follow along very formal lines or along informal lines. The first wouldhave straight paths, straight rows in stiff beds, everything, as the name tells, perfectly formal. Theother method is, of course, the exact opposite. There are danger points in each.

    The formal arrangement is likely to look too stiff; the informal, too fussy, too wiggly. As far aspaths go, keep this in mind, that a path should always lead somewhere. That is its business todirect one to a definite place. Now, straight, even paths are not unpleasing if the effect is to bethat of a formal garden. The danger in the curved path is an abrupt curve, a whirligig effect. It isfar better for you to stick to straight paths unless you can make a really beautiful curve. No onecan tell you how to do this.

    Garden paths may be of gravel, of dirt, or of grass. One sees grass paths in some very lovelygardens. I doubt, however, if they would serve as well in your small gardens. Your garden areasare so limited that they should be re-spaded each season, and the grass paths are a great botherin this work. Of course, a gravel path makes a fine appearance, but again you may not have

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    gravel at your command. It is possible for any of you to dig out the path for two feet. Then put insix inches of stone or clinker. Over this, pack in the dirt, rounding it slightly toward the centre ofthe path. There should never be depressions through the central part of paths, since these formconvenient places for water to stand. The under layer of stone makes a natural drainage system.

    A building often needs the help of vines or flowers or both to tie it to the grounds in such a way asto form a harmonious whole. Vines lend themselves well to this work. It is better to plant aperennial vine, and so let it form a permanent part of your landscape scheme. The Virginiacreeper, wistaria, honeysuckle, a climbing rose, the clematis and trumpet vine are all mostsatisfactory.

    close your eyes and picture a house of natural colour, that mellow gray of the weathered shingles.Now add to this old house a purple wistaria. Can you see the beauty of it? I shall not forget soon arather ugly corner of my childhood home, where the dining room and kitchen met. Just thereclimbing over, and falling over a trellis was a trumpet vine. It made beautiful an awkward angle, anugly bit of carpenter work.

    Of course, the morning-glory is an annual vine, as is the moon-vine and wild cucumber. Now,these have their special function. For often, it is necessary to cover an ugly thing for just a time,until the better things and better times come. The annual is 'the chap' for this work.

    Along an old fence a hop vine is a thing of beauty. One might try to rival the woods'